How do you get your framing blocks lined up exactly right between both sides?

[nugarp]

Hi guys,

I'm at the point in my cabinet building where I am trying to get the frame together.

For the base, I did a fairly tight dado cut (for 3/4" mdf) and then I started adding some looser cuts (1" for 1" square dowels) to add bracing to my cab:



I created the dado with a jig I made:



I created the wider support blocks cuts with a similar jig except that I used wood blocks to stop the router from going further than ~1" from the edge marks (I had a 3/4" dado bit but no 1" bit)

I could then put the support blocks in (plan is to glue) like so:



So far my cuts have been very accurate between the sides. I am also not worried about doing slot cuts along the back or other sides of the cabinet. However, I am wondering how you guys get very accurate perpendicular cuts, and cuts that are at odd angles (also the "10" degrees should say 35 degrees...to give a total of 10 degree slope..my mistake, and 45 should say 135. I guess I couldn't math when I made the images):



The purple slices I can create by making similar jigs (my distances from the edge of the sides vary slightly so I'll need to make a jig for each distance -- if you have a better way for this please let me know!!). The white planned cuts are what are more worrying to me. I'm not sure how to get the cuts to match exactly between the sides. The last thing I would like is to have one of my horizontal support blocks be higher than the other horizontal support block.

I also find it pretty hard to cut an exact rectangle, despite using t-squares etc. I'm anal to within 1/16".

Any ideas or advice on how you guys get the frame supports exactly matching would be extremely appreciated. Thanks!!

[Le Chuck]

You can spend a lot of time making jigs and stuff but if it's a one off I just draw out where all my supports will be on one side then cut double.  I'll screw and glue one set then glue newsprint to the tops of the battons, glue the mates on and then glue and clamp on the other side of the cab.  After an hour just run a putty knife through newsprint joint and you have two mirrored sides.  Screw in the battons on the second side and you're done. 

Or you could build a custom jig off one complete side that ensures the other side matches up or you could just measure real good but all that's a hassle. 

[Slippyblade]

You can spend a lot of time making jigs and stuff but if it's a one off I just draw out where all my supports will be on one side then cut double.  I'll screw and glue one set then glue newsprint to the tops of the battons, glue the mates on and then glue and clamp on the other side of the cab.  After an hour just run a putty knife through newsprint joint and you have two mirrored sides.  Screw in the battons on the second side and you're done. 

Huh, never thought of that.  I went cross-eyed measuring stuff up so my battons were aligned.  This is genius.

[nugarp]

Seems like a neat idea but I don't think it would work for me since I need to route out some of the laminate in order to get the wood to stick to wood. I could always route roughly around the area but I would like to avoid having a messy inside face of the cabinet even if nobody else ever sees it...for my own satisfaction 

[PL1]

After you piggy-back the battens, line up the second side-piece and trace the 3 accessible sides of the battens onto the second side-piece.

Lift off the side-piece and add the 4th (non-accessible) side of the batten outlines.

Set up router guides and route out the laminate for each batten in turn.

Once that's done, you're ready to glue.   


Scott

[nugarp]

After you piggy-back the battens, line up the second side-piece and trace the 3 accessible sides of the battens onto the second side-piece.

Lift off the side-piece and add the 4th (non-accessible) side of the batten outlines.

Set up router guides and route out the laminate for each batten in turn.

Once that's done, you're ready to glue.   


Scott

Could you elaborate on what you mean? I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. Thanks!

[Malenko]

he means finish 1 side.

then lay that side down on top of the undone side, and trace around the batons.

[nugarp]

he means finish 1 side.

then lay that side down on top of the undone side, and trace around the batons.

Got it - thanks for clearing that up. Not sure my hand will be able to reach between the panels and chalk is fairly blunt but it's worth a shot.

[JDFan]

he means finish 1 side.

then lay that side down on top of the undone side, and trace around the batons.

Got it - thanks for clearing that up. Not sure my hand will be able to reach between the panels and chalk is fairly blunt but it's worth a shot.

IF you need more room to trace just place the second set of batons on top of the glued set on the first side before placing the second side on top -- that way you have 2 batons worth of height to get your hand in there to trace.

[Malenko]

IF you need more room to trace just place the second set of batons on top of the glued set on the first side before placing the second side on top -- that way you have 2 batons worth of height to get your hand in there to trace.

BRILLIANT! I was thinking "put a pen on a stick" but your idea is much better.

[Le Chuck]

The other thing you can do is clamp the two together and blow liners chalk between the two sides from a few angles.  Once you take it apart the negatives will show where to route your batons in.  Just line around the clean spots with ink or pencil before you turn on that wind machine you call a router.